That, as they say, is a wrap!

Sam Thomas looks back on Series 3 of the County Business Talks Podcast – 16 truly amazing conversations with brilliant guests.

This series has been a real game changer for me.

I am on a mission to try and change the narrative around how success is measured and including that someone’s success, especially in business, should not be measured purely as a financial metric. 

I tried to delve deep into what makes these exceptional individuals tick, many of whom are very financially successful. But the overriding message is that, ultimately, we are all searching for fulfilment and contentment, and money and financial success, although providing us with potential opportunities and the ability to buy more stuff, doesn’t necessarily give us purpose and certainly not fulfilment.

As we navigate this crazy journey of life, and I continue to learn from the amazing stories that people share with me on the podcast as well as my own experiences, I am continually reminded by everyone, that although it is a cliche and we all know I love a cliche, life is a journey and not a destination – getting up everyday and doing your best, whatever that looks like to you, enjoying the process and being present in the moment, that is the key to true success, happiness and fulfilment.

When listening to these episodes please ask yourself, how do you measure your success?

For me, Charlie Macksey described it brilliantly in the book ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’.

What do you think success is?’ “To love,” said the mole.

I would like to thank all my amazing guests: Mark Woolley, Mike Monk, Jessica Freeman, Karen Dobres, Jo Child, Sam Murphy, Ed Chinn, Tom Hooper, Fiona Anderson, Marc Convey, Lindsey Clay, Chris Goodman, Ricky Whiting, Andy, Steve, Chris Tugwell, Julian Caddy, Dan Wade and Rob Starr. I am so grateful for your time, your openness, honesty and sharing your inspirational stories and journeys with me and our listeners.

Mark Woolley, founder and international creative director of leading British hair company Electric, talked about his journey in building a global brand. 

Speaking about his inspiration to go into business, he said: “Every now and again someone would say ‘I own my own business’ and ‘I’m doing this’, so one of my goals from being at school was that I would like to own my own business. 

“I wasn’t academic but I was really into art. I liked art, music and I liked sports – but they weren’t academic subjects. In the subconscious, hairdressing presented itself as a creative, fun business to be involved in. There were all these young people who seemed to own their own businesses and I thought that might be for me. It sounds so silly when you say it like that, but I think they were the touchpoints.”

Mike Monk, founder and organiser of Brighton & Hove Business Show and owner of Advantage Business Mentoring, spoke about his long and successful career in sales and marketing. His advice, given with some inspirational examples, is to ‘Never give up’. He imparted some stories that truly did offer motivation and an insight into how to out-class your competitors.

Jessica Freeman has over 25 years’ experience in HR and started her own company in 2014. She is also a coach at Dorking Ladies’ Rugby as well as a community coach for Harlequins Rugby Club and played rugby herself at a very high standard. She spoke about why there is no difference between business and sport.

She said: “Do you know what? There’s never a right time. There’s always a reason not to do something. If you let that reason be your decision-making factor, then you are not actually ever going to do anything.”

Karen Dobres, director of Lewes  FC, explained what it means to impact diversification and how it benefits everyone.

Speaking of being a woman in sport, she said: “It’s hugely male-dominated and the disparities are vast. We can talk about what women are paid compared to what men are paid but also are the pitches the women play on the same or are their pitches inferior and much further away from the town that they’re representing making it harder for people to come to? 

“When I first said that I was going to stand to be a director at Lewes FC, my friends were laughing, but people like me have to feel comfortable at a football ground. I have to feel I can be a director – we’re talking about diversity all over the shop and, you know, let’s just do it.”

Jo Child, founder of Co-Women, also spoke about diversification.

She said: “Another thing that I’ve noticed with women in business is that they feel this need to be serious, to be taken seriously, to present themselves seriously and, again, going to these events women were not smiling. 

“The idea of men versus women is such a trigger for people when it’s not men versus women in the first place. It doesn’t matter what product or service you’re providing, you’re going to have your demographic. It’s a shame that feminism has got such negative connotations attached to it because if you just strip it back to basics it simply means equality for men and women. 

Unfortunately, we have got to a point now where we’ve got extreme feminism. With any project, the pendulum always has to swing completely the other way before it can come back and rest in the middle and I think that’s what’s happening right now. We’re on this path for equality for women but that triggers people into thinking that it’s something that is not.”

Sam Murphy, managing director of award-winning brokerage Mortgage Medics, talked about How Being Different Can Be Your Superpower in Business.

He said: “What has always been my primary goal from day one is to just look after people. If you look after people and treat them with respect, then they will do business with you and look after you in return.”

Ed Chinn, associate director at EY Breakthrough Incentives, spoke on the topic of Being Diagnosed with ADHD, Changing Careers and Having an Impact.

One of his standout comments was: “So, I am going to drop the bomb early here and say – this is not something I’ve told everyone yet – but I’ve had a recent diagnosis of ADHD, more the Attention Deficit side. If you set a goal for something and are open to opportunities… That positive mindset and visualisation is so helpful.”

Force of nature Tom Hooper brought his motivational style to the podcast with a conversation about Mental Health, Life Choices and Curve Balls.

He said: “My story stems from overseas. I was adopted in 1990 by my two English parents from Romania. I spent the first years of my life in an orphanage. My journey through life versus my journey through business is very, very different.”

Fiona Anderson, who has helped new ventures and entrepreneurs over many years, talked to me about Start Ups, Entrepreneurs and Building a Strong Network.

She said: “Where I can orchestrate partnerships of collaborations, I do. They always have a positive outcome.”

Marc Convey, former MD of 23D and co-founder at Thrive Now, a collective movement connecting a community of people who desire to create a better world by being better, happier humans, spoke about From Childhood Trauma to Thriving Now.

He shared: “It’s 30 years this year since I was in a fire and for the 30 years beyond that point I was just running into life, head on, to almost make up for the stuff that I felt I’d lost in life. I was never on fire but I was trapped in a garage and had to fight my way out. I was flatlining in the ambulance and was in a coma when I first got to the hospital.”

Lyndsey Clay, a qualified coach, networking champion and social concierge, joined me to discuss Breaking the Blueprint to be Happy.

Referring to the traumas of infertility, miscarriage, IVF and divorce, she said: “There were definitely some dark days during that time and I didn’t know what life was going to look like now and who was I without our relationship. Constantly changing job and looking for that thing that was going to make me feel like myself again.”

Chris Goodman, co-founder and director of Focus Group, a UK telecommunications and IT business, talked about how he achieved all his goals but still felt unfulfilled – because he had failed to invest in himself. 

He said: “When we got to 2020 and sold a share of the business, we’d had a fantastic journey, but had I really taken the time to enjoy the journey – to reflect at various moments on the highs and the lows and all the things that come with running a business, like having responsibility for staff? The answer is absolutely no.

“While I would diligently write my to-do list and goals for each year, the extent of my ‘have I succeeded or not?’ was at the end of the year either putting a tick or cross next to the various items.

“There was no emotional aspect to it. No sense of appreciation.”

Ricky Whiting, an SEO expert, an author, studio director and founder of Itty Bitty.co.uk, talked about From an Itty Bitty idea to Marketing and Growing a Business.

He said: “I always think you’ve got the three Ps. You’ve got your people, profit, of course, and processes. They are all important but, actually, people first.”

Brothers, Andy, Chris and Steve Tugwell from TSS Facilities joined me for a conversation about Building a Business on Strong Family Values. As well as revealed how the business survived the most challenging of times in the 1990s, they demonstrated their belief in Respect, Accountability, Trust and Integrity.

Dan Wade, new practice development manager at WPA Healthcare Practice PLC and co-founder and trustee at Table Talk Foundation, explained Why Everyone Should Work in Hospitality.

Hugely inspiring, he imparted information about his earlier years working in kitchens – the banter, borderline bullying, but an amazing experience that taught him about the power of teamwork, how to develop a thick skin and enhance his strong work ethic. 

Rob Starr, CEO and founder of SEICO Group and chairman of the Starr Trust Charity, joined me to have a conversation about Taking on Challenges and Life One Day at a Time.

One of the things that will stick with me is him saying: “We all have 24 hours in a day. If you want to do something, find a way of doing it.”

Everyone has a story to tell…

Happy listening.

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